[nebulinda]

Next week you should read chapters 19-24, which is up to location 4498. I apologize for the late questions; it was an unusually busy week, and I had to finish the reading.

Ethan Saunders

1. What is your opinion of Emily Fiddler's situation?

2. Who do you think attacked Ethan outside his house before his landlady showed up?

3. Now that we have a little more information, just for fun, what do you think Hamilton and/or Duer and/or Pearson are up to? Are they working together, enemies, etc?

Joan Maycott

1. What do you think was bothering Phineas so much when he and Hendry went to the Maycotts' house?

2. What do you think of how Andrew handled the three Indians in his house?

3. Do you think that their talking to Tindall will be successful?

 

[Marguerite]

Ethan Saunders

1. What is your opinion of Emily Fiddler's situation?

I think that Pearson is despicable and should be shot.  Her aunt though is even worse because she is charged with her care.

2. Who do you think attacked Ethan outside his house before his landlady showed up?

I think that it was Dalton's group

3. Now that we have a little more information, just for fun, what do you think Hamilton and/or Duer and/or Pearson are up to? Are they working together, enemies, etc?

I think that Pearson may be working in some way with Dalton.  I think that they might be trying to sabotage Hamilton and Duer.  I don't necessarily think that Duer and Hamilton are acting together but the others may not know that.

Joan Maycott

1. What do you think was bothering Phineas so much when he and Hendry went to the Maycotts' house?

I think that he was afraid of what could happen when Tindall decided to act against them.

2. What do you think of how Andrew handled the three Indians in his house?

If he hadn't acted that way the Maycotts would have been dead or severely injured.  They threatened rape but would have gladly killed Andrew if he had tried to stop it any other way.

3. Do you think that their talking to Tindall will be successful?

I think Tindall is going to somehow make matters worse.  I think that they might be walking into some kind of trap.

 

[Ann in Arlington]

As I was finishing up this weeks reading I couldn't help but observe that the descriptions of the various plots, schemes, and price fixing -- you know, general  market manipulation -- seemed very familiar.

Then I read the newspaper!

Ann

 

[Ann in Arlington]

1. What do you think was bothering Phineas so much when he and Hendry went to the Maycotts' house?
He's NOT worried what'll happen to them, except to the extent he hopes he'll be a part of it. . .he's twisted: kinda liked Joan as a mother/older sister/ on the trail until she helped the Indian girl and now probably wants to rape her.

2. What do you think of how Andrew handled the three Indians in his house?
He stood up and protected his home and family. Entirely appropriate for the time.

3. Do you think that their talking to Tindall will be successful?
Of course not. . .we're only half way throught he book. . . plenty of time for more twists and turns and plot complications. Ultimately I hope they triumph, but it ain't gonna be easy.

I have no concrete thoughts about the Ethan side of things. . .am finding the Joan story more compelling at this point, which kind of surprises me, actually. There does seem to be some disagreement about whether Duer and Hamilton are on the same side or sworn enemies in all this. Also, the westerners have an idea of how things are going, but remember they're getting their news way late so surely don't have all the facts -- at the least they don't know what's happening NOW, only what was reported several weeks ago. Things will likely move faster in Philadelphia than they'll be able to learn/comprehend/react to, so they'll just have to deal with what they know in and around Pittsburgh.

Ann

 

[Cowgirl]

Ethan Saunders
1. What is your opinion of Emily Fiddler's situation?The Emily situation is very sad. She is being taken advantage of by men who want her and family who should be taking care of her. We are now finding out just how bad Pearson is…he's probably capable of anything.
2. Who do you think attacked Ethan outside his house before his landlady showed up?Probably the Duer/Reynolds crew. My only question is are they working with or against Hamilton?
3. Now that we have a little more information, just for fun, what do you think Hamilton and/or Duer and/or Pearson are up to? Are they working together, enemies, etc? I think Duer could be looking to make a profit from the US bank's failure. They may be trying to do what they did with the war bonds that were worthless for 10 years and then worked a political scheme to make them valuable after patriots sold them for pennies on the dollar. OR maybe…
The success of Hamilton's bank, frenzy for bank stocks, millions to lend with easy rates to promote the economy will create greed and opportunity where worthless shares of stock will be sold only to hope to sell again before the bubble bursts&#8230oes this sound familiar… Madof/PONZI SCHEME.
Joan Maycott
1. What do you think was bothering Phineas so much when he and Hendry went to the Maycotts' house?I think he may be conflicted because during the trek out west he did reveal his pain over the death of his family by the Indians to Joan.
2. What do you think of how Andrew handled the three Indians in his house?He had no choice but to protect his home and family.
3. Do you think that their talking to Tindall will be successful?This will only aggravate the situation.

 

[Gertie Kindle]

Sorry I couldn't join you last week. Time just got away from me. This is a very good book.

Ethan Saunders

1. What is your opinion of Emily Fiddler's situation?

Emily isn't being forced and isn't otherwise being ill-treated. However, the ugly truth is that she doesn't know any better and her aunt, who should know better, is taking advantage of the girl's mental deficiency.

2. Who do you think attacked Ethan outside his house before his landlady showed up?

Hard to say. There are so many players in this political game. It could even be someone Dorland hired. Just because he ran from Ethan's challenge, doesn't mean he has given up. At the moment, I'm betting on Duer's group, because he is such an obvious villain.

3. Now that we have a little more information, just for fun, what do you think Hamilton and/or Duer and/or Pearson are up to? Are they working together, enemies, etc?

I think Pearson is in bad financial trouble. Duer may have hoodwinked him as well and Pearson is lying low, waiting for an opportunity to undermine Duer and recoup his fortune. I don't think Hamilton is in cahoots with Duer. Duer used his position in the Bank of the U.S. to foster his own insider trading schemes.

Joan Maycott

1. What do you think was bothering Phineas so much when he and Hendry went to the Maycotts' house?

What Joan said. Phineas was a brutal boy and he's grown into a brutal man. The scene where Hendry whipped him and Phineas' reaction to Joan watching him, tells it all. I think he was bothered by the fact that he wasn't allowed to wreak havoc on the Maycotts right then and there.

2. What do you think of how Andrew handled the three Indians in his house?

He did what he had to do.

3. Do you think that their talking to Tindall will be successful?

No. Tindall is used to being king. He has all the power (in his mind) and will do what he wants.

I'm finding Joan's sections of the book much more disturbing than Ethan's.

Ethan has more potential to protect himself, especially with Leonidas at his back. Of course, he does get beat up pretty regularly, but he always lands on his feet.

Andrew and Joan are in the middle of nowhere with danger on every side. Phineas and Hendry give me the creeps. Tindall, too.

 

[Neekeebee]

Just barely finished the reading for the week, so I will only comment on Tindall. 

Tindall knew what he was doing when he sent the Indians to the Maycotts' home.  He is an evil man who is used to getting his way by using others to do all the dirty work.  Tindall is out to get Joan and Andrew b/c they had no qualms about standing up to him, even in the face of the great unknown, and now they are relatively successful, and at Tindall's expense.  Tindall hopes that the Indians will take care of Joan and Andrew, but knows that if they don't and the townspeople rebel against him, he can make that work to his benefit, too.

I was more interested in Joan's story during last week and this week's readings, but now I think Ethan is becoming interesting again. I wonder when Ethan and Joan meet up?

N